


Illusion of Probability

by BaristaKitty



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Super Dangan Ronpa 2
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Gen, More tags and characters to be added, Multi, Other, Rating May Change, Super Dangan Ronpa 2 Spoilers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-10
Updated: 2017-09-24
Packaged: 2018-06-01 10:28:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,993
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6514420
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BaristaKitty/pseuds/BaristaKitty
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“To think that an SHSL such as yourself would grace me with her presence, for a goddess to shine her light upon a filthy vermin like me…” Komaeda smiled up at you from the floor, arms bound behind his back.</p><p>A Reader/Komaeda fic that takes place from Chapter 2 onward of DR2.<br/>You are the SHSL Witch, on a mission of your own amidst the killing game.</p><p>(Earlier chapters have been brushed up)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Update 8/28/17: Hello I am updating this again! Earlier chapters have been brushed up, as this wasn't originally intended to be anything other than a one-shot originally!  
> Please keep that in mind for the first chapter, as it escalates kinda quickly!
> 
> After some careful consideration and asking for feedback when I first published this fic, I decided to make Reader-chan SHSL Witch and from there I later created my OC, Kageko Yamimanako!  
> However, Reader-chan in this fic is never given a name, so it can still be enjoyed on an reader insert level! 
> 
> I'd greatly appreciate your feedback (/OuO)/   
> Thank you and please have fun~

“To think that an SHSL such as yourself would grace me with her presence, for a goddess to shine her light upon a filthy vermin like me…” Komaeda smiled up at you from the floor, arms bound behind his back.

This was the first time you’d seen him since the first trial, and surprisingly enough there were no bruises or cuts on his face. You’d expected that he’d put up a fight against Souda and Nidai, at least, because any reasonable person would, but this guy…maybe he really was okay with being treated like garbage?  
What a depressing thought for someone with such an adorable boyish face.

“I’m just here to bring you lunch. If you die, then it counts as a murder. It’s not like I asked to do this.”

What a lie.    
When Hinata looked so disdainful at being assigned the task, you volunteered to take the reins from him simply because you _wanted_ to see him. Maybe make sure he’d calmed down.

Komaeda had that unpredictable energy about him, which caught your interest, and he’d said in such an upbeat voice that he’d happily offer himself up as a sacrifice to the blackened, or even assist them in pulling covering up their murder. Definitely attention-grabbing.  
Not that you were going to murder anyone, or even that you trusted what he said as definite, but you wouldn’t be able to properly assess him unless you interacted one on one.

That was going to be important here. Studying people. Surely, out of your entire class, at least one of them had to be...

You set the tray down onto the table and knelt next to him. “I’m going to have to feed you, so…sit up. Oh, uh…”

Putting on a kind smile, you placed both hands on his left arm and tugged him up. “There, there.”

Getting a closer look at the rope bounding his hands together, it almost looked too tight. As a rule, if someone (or something) is wearing a collar, or under any kind of restraint, and you can’t fit your finger into the space between the skin and the material, then it needs to be loosened up.

“Komaeda-kun, is this too tight?” Putting his constraints to the test, they weren’t cutting off his circulation, at least, and you could slide your index finger between his wrists.

“Are you concerned about me? There’s no need in that!” He laughed, uncannily chipper as always. “Or maybe, you’re mad at me, too? Do you _want_ it to hurt me? Or maybe, you’d like to _murder_ me? But unfortunately, all the weapons were removed from the kitchen…you’d have to dirty your hands to choke me out.”

His skin was surprisingly soft just around his wrists, and so you put both hands to his neck, just below his chin, and rubbed your thumbs delicately across his jawline. Komaeda visibly shuddered and turned his head away, grinning expectantly.

“Go on.”

“Komaeda-kun, I’m not going to hurt you.”

You slid a hand up to his cheek next, pulling his gaze back to meet your eyes. “I actually think you’re really interesting! And cute.”  
Komaeda had an eccentric charm to him, and he looked…frail. You liked that look and up close, he was even more attractive. It was warmly...inhuman.

“Cute?” His eyes immediately darted away from you and watered up. “No one in my entire life, even as a child, has called me that before…if you aren’t teasing me, I feel sorry for you!”

Was he insulting you for complimenting him? Or was he demeaning himself again?  
Both?

He was trying to remain neutral to your advances, but he was clearly so uncomfortable with anyone being this close to him that he was sweating.  
Taking a small breath, you released your hold on him long enough to reposition yourself on his lap.

“Komaeda-kun...you said that you love us right?” Twisting a lock of his soft, white hair around your finger, feeling how his breathing was getting heavier…he was unraveling into your hands.    

“That’s…” His breath hitched when you pressed your cheek against his and whispered into his ear.

“I’ve been thinking about it. And I’d like to love you, too…if you’ll have me, that is. I've always felt like we might have quiet a bit in common, since the first time we met here.” Never in your life had you managed to be this suave, despite your voice shaking.   
But…Komaeda was probably into it, judging by the bulge in his pants brushing against your thigh.

“For someone as beautiful and smart as you to confess to me so suddenly…” He said quietly, voice shaking. “I never expected it to pay off like this.”

Pulling back to look at him, his eyes were welling up again. “I can’t say no to luck providing me such a generous gift…but--”

“It’s alright.” Your arms wrapped around his shoulders, shifting your weight to your knees and pulling him into a tight hug. His face went directly into your chest. “Hey! We’ll get off of this island together, okay?”

Komaeda paused for a moment, absorbing the intimacy and maybe processing that this was _really_ happening.

“So soft…” He nuzzled into you, and you couldn’t help getting a little flustered.  
He sighed dreamily. “I can feel your heart beating.”

Suddenly aware of it, you realized that the thumping had turned erratic and it only increased your sensitivity to the weight of his head lying against you.

“Because we love each other and the feelings are mutual, that makes us a team, doesn’t it?” He closed his eyes.

“Eh? Of course!”

“Then I’d like to ask you a favor.”

“Sure.” You combed your fingers through his hair serenely, taken aback by the fact that he was actually accepting.

“The game that Monokuma prepared as the next motive…I want you to play it and tell me what you make of it. I can’t, obviously, and for you to untie me would just arouse suspicion from the others, and I don’t want them distrusting you on behalf of me. It’ll be the smarter thing to do to keep our relationship here a secret, don’t you think?” There was the underlying malice in his tone that had been so transparent during the trial, and you have no objections.  
  
Instead, you felt yourself shivering with excitement…that unpredictable, condescending nature of his, so obsessed with hope and so humble in spite of his actions. “Alright.”

“From now on,” he continued. “I’ll act not only for the sake of the ultimate hope, but for the sake of you, as well. It seems that so quickly, you’ve become a special kind of hope to me. One that is exclusively _mine_ and mine _alone_ —such responsibility!" His voice lowered, and he scoffed. You weren't sure why. "Wow, this is so cruel...”

He chuckled, shoulders shaking, and in a matter of seconds he was rasping. “And you're...being serious?"

“Of course.” You smiled, love for him only intensified, trying to contain your own body from trembling from the pure adoration he injected into your heart without even trying. You could never bring yourself to kill him, though, but if the thought excited him so much, let him think so.

“…I really am unworthy...”

Shaking your head softly, you moved back to sitting on his lap. “Hey, Komaeda-kun, can we kiss now?”

The requested snapped him out of whatever fantasies were playing through his head that likely involved you as the killer, and his face was red again. “I-I’ve been trapped in here for over two days, y’know…my breath probably stinks, because I haven’t been able to brush my teeth!”

“You’re fine.”

“Well, if you insist, although…you’ll have to guide me a bit! I’m afraid I’ll disappoint you as I don’t have any—“

Pushing your face only centimeters from his, staring directly into his widened eyes devoid of the madness from only seconds before, he went silent.  
You closed your eyes, tilted your head sideways, and pressed forward, giving him a chaste kiss; his lips were dry, and without thinking, you glided the tip of your tongue over them.

Komaeda jerked back, startled, eyes shooting open, but tried to mimic the movement with a hushed moan, and you couldn’t help seizing the opportunity to kiss him open mouthed. He really wasn’t sure how to do this, and you weren’t exactly an expert, but your tongues entangling was better than you’d ever imagined.  
You continued like this, lips smacking together, teeth clattering, until a tightening in your chest reminded you to breathe and break for air.

Exchanging hazy, embarrassed glances, you couldn’t help still noticing the bulge pressed directly against your crotch now. A perverted thought passed through your mind, but there’d come a time for that…later.

Because there’d be _plenty_ of time now. And there’d be plenty of time later, too, because no way were you going to actually die here.

“Next time will be even better!” Komaeda promised you, trying not to laugh, seemingly reading your thoughts. “For now, it may be best if you leave before anyone notices how long you’re taking with me.”

“Oh…” You rubbed your head, trying to recollect yourself. “Oh, right! I-I need to feed you…”  
Standing up (and accidentally giving him a peek up your skirt), you went to fetch the forgotten tray of food a few feet away.

“I’m not hungry, so don’t worry about it!” He fell back over to his side, sighing contently. “Just do as I asked you, alright?”

“I-I will.” Was he really not hungry? How long had it been since he’d last eaten? He looked happy, though, and you couldn’t help feeling prideful at that peaceful, half lidded expression on his face.

“You’d better get going then.”

“Yeah…” It was awkward still, just…leaving him tied up here like this. But it couldn’t be helped, for now.

You made your way to the door, and turned back to give him a small wave. “I’ll be seeing you soon, then!”

“Soon. I’m looking forward to it.”


	2. Prologue (Introduction)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is more of a prologue chapter, again, since this originally going to be a one-shot, I figured this would be necessary to really introduce Witch-chan!

_Fortune, reversed_

_The World_

_Nine of Swords_

The tarot cards spread on the table, Baset plush in the center, did nothing to give you any reassurance that maybe, just maybe, this school trip would go smoothly. This was why you didn’t turn to the divine for every mystery in life, because sometimes it was easier to move forward without the dread of foresight. You already regretted asking.

What awful luck, considering that you didn’t like the beach to begin with. Because the beach meant sunlight, and sunlight meant getting burnt to a crisp and possibly sun poisoning. _Again_. The last thing you wanted was to pass out foaming at the mouth in front of an audience, or worse, alone, given that aside from classmates this entire chain of islands was deserted.

This wasn’t looking too great as it was, but Fortune in reverse? Harsh.

No matter. You’d stay in your cabin the entire time if you had to, and maybe hang out here in the hotel lobby when you felt adventurous. As it was now, the only other people here were… Pekoyama and Nanami? Those were their names, right? Both of which had left you to your corner here without disturbance.  
If they set up base here, too, it’d fine.

Weren’t class trips taken at the _end_ of the year, anyway?

Hope’s Peak…what a strange school, to scout you out in the first place, and then to pull you onto a deserted island without your consent. Then again, maybe you had given them consent. Wasn’t there an entire stack of paperwork that had to be signed? But really, who reads the TOS?

But, still, even if you were stuck in the grueling heat of the tropics, it was better than your prior living arrangement…

A classmate approached you. “Oh, sorry, am I interrupting anything?”

You glanced up from where you were very obviously in the middle of something to see the boy with the ahoge standing by your chair. Oh, right, the guy who was late earlier.

Next to him was Komaeda Nagito, whose unique presence made him easy to recall, smiling broadly as ever. He’d introduced himself to you back in the classroom.  
The SHSL Lucky Student…although he didn’t think much of himself, luck itself was a fascinating subject—an unseen force of nature that acted on its own, chose favorites, and yet all at the same time it was tied into the grand scheme of fate that couldn’t be overcome (at least, you didn’t think so).  
Was it truly a skill or a talent? Or maybe it was the result of karmatic energies that lingered the deeds of the soul in a past life.

It was impossible to tell, but you were curious about anything Hope’s Peak might discover on the subject in the future, since Komaeda had mentioned that they wanted to research it.

“Anyway,” the boy said. “I’m Hinata Hajime. I wanted to introduce myself since I didn’t get to before.”

Not wanting to get off to a bad start with him since he _was_ your classmate, and your “homework” here depended on mediation, you quickly gathered the cards from the table and placed them back into your deck, shuffling them. Maybe he didn’t see. Even if he did, it’s not like he’d _know_.

“N-Nice to meet you.” You gave him your name with a small smile. “Uhm, for future reference, if you see Baset-chan off my belt, please don’t interrupt whatever I’m doing. If my energy is disrupted and I’m pulled out of my zone, it could be bad for everyone.”

“Baset-chan?” He echoed, glancing at the table and noticing now the stuffed black cat with a golden trinket around its neck. “That toy? It’s…kinda creepy.”

How rude. You tried to think of how to inform him polite and in a sane manner that no, this wasn’t just any toy, but a personal component of your relationship with the supernatural.  

Komaeda laughed heartily and pat Hinata's shoulder. “Hinata-kun, she’s the SHSL Witch, so that ‘toy’ is important in her rituals, if I recall correctly.”

“A witch?! Is that something real?”

“Very. She’s famous for her online handle on a few paranormal boards, and during her school trip last year rumors are that she summoned a spirit from a wishing well. Like me, Hope’s Peak is wanting to study her talent! Although I’m sure she’ll be much more useful for their research…something like magic is actually interesting!”

Hinata frowned, as if doubting Hope’s Peak’s agenda and the legitimacy of your existence. “Magic, huh? That sounds like a really broad field…”

Komaeda said your name, adding an enthusiastic “-chan” to it. “Hinata-kun here doesn’t remember his talent and getting thrown into this trip has taken a toll on him. So play nice!”

You gave them a shy smile, feeling skittish suddenly and realizing maybe you’d been a little too harsh. Hinata didn’t seem like a bad person, just…a little tactless with his choice of words, and it wasn’t anything you weren’t used to.  
Most people had a negative mindset that activated on its own when they heard the word “witch” or “magic”, but…these were your classmates. All of you would be living here, for an undisclosed amount of time, and this was your chance to open a little.

To make friends.

“Sure thing. Hinata-kun, it’s nice to make your acquaintance!”

Hinata rubbed his neck awkwardly. “Uh, sure! Let’s count on each other!”

 

**_[Hope Fragment Obtained: Hajime Hinata]_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those interested, sprites of my SHSL Witch character Kageko [here!](http://imgur.com/a/grUkn)  
>  I commissioned these from the very talented [kuripu](http://kuripu.tumblr.com/) on tumblr!


	3. Chapter Two / Daily Life / Free Time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It took too long to decide on the formatting for this, so I hope it sets well?  
> We're picking up where we left off in the first chapter! From here on out it'll be chronological (I wasn't sure with the first chapter that I was going to make this a multi thing, but here we are!)

Sonia was the last person that you’d expected to be waiting for you outside of the old building, and seeing her smiling face startled you back for a moment when she exclaimed your name.

“S-Sonia-chan, hi!” Why were you yelling? “I was just—delivering Komaeda-kun his breakfast…so he doesn’t die of starvation.”  
Glancing around uneasily, it was a relief at least that no one else was around. Because you were being transparently suspicious right now. “Um…did you need something?”

 “I wanted to invite you to the beach tomorrow!” Sonia clasped her hands together pleasantly. “It’s going to be a secret, girls only event, so there’s no need to feel shyly about wearing a bathing suit!”

Looking her up and down, with her serene face, feeling shy wouldn’t be the only problem with attending.

You still weren’t too sure what to make of Sonia. She was exceptionally kind, and didn’t demand any sort of special treatment from yourself or the rest of the class despite her high status. It felt strange, how nice she was, and even stranger that upon your introductions she was more fascinated than afraid of your position as the Ultimate Witch.  
It seemed unnatural. Suspicious, almost.

“Sorry, I can’t…” No way. “I don’t really like the sunlight, you see…my skin is sensitive, and the sun is my enemy.”

“Oh? There’s a special sunscreen that would protect your skin quiet well! And I believe…that I saw a parasol in the supermarket.”

“I don’t like the ocean, either, I mean—it’s pretty to look at, but it’s so vast…and who knows, Monokuma might have planted sharks around the island to make sure we don’t try to escape via swimming.”

“Then you can sit under an umbrella and keep watch over us.”

She was really determined to have you included in this... If you turned her down, guilt would weigh on your shoulders later, because there was no reason to say no when all she really wanted was just to include you in something.

“Well…” Rubbing your neck, you nodded a little and looked away. “Alright, Sonia-chan, if you insist.”

Was she really even giving you a choice to begin with?

She was clearly pleased, smiling broadly, clasping your free hand. “It will be so much fun, I promise! I’m off to tell everyone else. Please, make sure that no boys get wind of this, especially…”  
She leaned forward and whispered, as if saying his name aloud would draw him near. “Souda-san.”

You nodded. Right, of course. He never left her alone.

“I’ll see you later!” She waved joyfully and started off towards the cottages, in a notably happy mood at having you caved in.

_[Free Time]_

You went back into the hotel instead to grab something to eat seeing as how you’d forgotten to feed yourself today in all the excitement this morning of visiting Nagito.

Just some cereal would do, as long as there were marshmallows coated in sugar mixed in with the bland, tasteless dried wheat crisps.

Even if milk was gross, no matter the circumstances.

_What to do today, what to do…_

You took your bowl to the lobby downstairs and sat down on the couch, away from the window since it was yet another sunny day. Thinking about it so much was starting to get annoying.

The light glaring through the glass was a stern reminder that not one, but two of the rain sigils you’d jotted down over the past day had completely failed you. It didn’t hurt to invoke the rain as long as there wasn’t a risk of it flooding, so there wasn’t any reason for your request to be ignored.

If it could rain tomorrow and cancel out the beach gathering, that’d be great…were these circumstances affecting your influence? You’d tried not to let it get to you. This was just something else to overcome…just another event in life that fate intended.

Setting the bowl down, you grabbed a cheap stock pen from the table with the hotel’s brand plastered over it and took a couple of sheets of blank printer paper from behind the check in counter.

_I’ll try once more, and if you don’t wish to answer me, I’ll respect that._

If it’d at least become overcast today, that’d be enough. But regardless, you’d go to the supermarket to find that parasol Sonia mentioned. Find a swimsuit if no one else was there…maybe show it to Nagito later tonight, after playing that weird game.

The thought of teasing him like that had you clicking your pen erratically.

Yeah. This was totally the time to live it up like that! There wasn’t any hiding it from yourself that you really weren’t a survivor, and definitely not an optimist, so you weren’t so sure about making it off the island alive anyway. It was all just pep talk. It’d be nice if you did make it out of this, but whatever force had imprisoned you and taken your memories to begin with was determined to have everyone slaughtered.

Hinata approached you from the front door, interrupting your panicked thoughts. At first you tried to ignore him, drawing a huge circle onto the first sheet of paper.

“Hey, you wanna hang out?” He asked innocently.

So direct.

“Sure…but first, let me finish this.” There wouldn’t be anything else to do until nightfall, anyway.

Hinata took a seat across from you and watched as you scribbled runes onto the second sheet, then drew them together into the circle on the first in a way that the letters were indistinguishable. It felt kinda awkward, having someone watch you place Bastet-chan on the table, close your eyes, and complete the private ritual without a word.

But it was also kinda nice. He wasn’t being disrespectful. Just…waiting.

Not everyone was so polite.

“Okay, I’m done.” You folded the papers up and slid them into your jacket.

He was offering you a bag of something when you looked up. Pink rocks? Was he offering you…drugs of some sort? Wait, no— _why would you even think that_?! This was some of the Natural Jabber Salt that you’d read about in a pamphlet through broken English, the stuff that was used in “ancient ceremonies” of some sort.

You couldn’t help smiling. “You’re giving it to me?!”

Hinata nodded.

Taking the bag and looking at the light pink, transparent substance, you couldn’t help liking Hajime a little more now. Maybe you’d misjudged him at first, because this was a thoughtful gesture. He didn’t even know what you could use it for, just that it’d be better in your hands despite his ignorance of the supernatural.

“Thanks so much! I’ll make sure you’re rewarded in this life and the next for such kindness.”

“So, were you casting a spell?” He asked, seeming genuinely interested. There was still a hint of skepticism in his voice. “It seems kinda simple.”

“Um, kinda…” You scratched your head, trying to think of the best way to explain it. “If that’s all there was to it, sure. I could just teleport all of us off this island, but sadly it’s not that simple. You need a relationship with the divine, and that’s something you either have or don’t.”

“So, magic is something you’ve done for a while?”

“It seems kinda extreme to call it ‘magic’, but yeah. Hey, Hinata-kun, have you ever seen a spirit?”

He was genuinely puzzled by the question, maybe caught off guard, and had to think about it. He seemed like the type to have maybe one or two encounters in his life. “I can’t remember ever seeing one. Wouldn’t they look just like regular people, though? Like in that movie?”

“Spirits, not ghosts…”

“Aren’t they the same thing?”

“No. Um, just forget it…” Did he think that you saw dead people constantly or something?

“I guess we can cross anything relating to the supernatural off the list of what my talent could be…” He laughed halfheartedly, sounding slightly disappointed.

“Oh, right. You don’t remember your talent...” That was truly saddening, and you couldn’t help feeling a little sorry for him. “Hinata-kun, about that. You’ve got my condolences.”

“Huh? It’s not a big deal, really!” He was embarrassed suddenly.

But looking at him, it was clear that this gap in his identity was causing some sort of…malfunction. His energy was off, and like most everyone here (“most everyone” meaning everyone except Nagito, let’s be honest with ourselves) at least a part of him was uneasy.  
He was probably constantly wishing he knew what he could do, and hoping that it would be something that posed a threat to Monokuma—or maybe that thought hadn’t crossed his mind at all.

Now that it’d crossed yours, however, you couldn’t help wondering if that was the case.

Bringing up the possibility would likely only stress him out more right now, so for the time being you decided to keep it to yourself. “So, Hinata-kun, if you want, I’ll give you a reading some time. It might help shed some light on your situation!”

“Reading?”

“You know what I’m talking about, right? Using a deck of cards to interpret a message from the divine.”

Hinata thought on it for a moment, weighing his response options.  
_C’mon, Hinata. This is basic knowledge._

“A Ouija board?”

“No, those are a bad idea and don’t involve cards at all. …Seriously, they’re just bad luck and spirits view that as a form of prostitution on your behalf.”

“Scrying?”

“That doesn’t involve cards at all and it’s a really broad term.”

“…Tarot cards?”

You clapped your hands together; he’d really racked his brain, huh? “Yes! A disclaimer, though—divination isn’t necessarily predicting the future, but rather getting insight from the spirit world.  So don’t expect a direct answer. But if you’re willing to accept the truth given to you, it’s helpful.”

He laughed a little. “Sure! I’ll take you up on that; it couldn’t hurt, right?”  
Maybe he didn’t take it seriously, but at the very least it would sate your own curiosity.

_[Item: Hope Fragment Acquired!]_

After spending some more time with Hinata, you parted ways and returned to your cabin. The sky was still bright, thin clouds only occasionally passing by the sun and providing no real overcast.

With some more free time on your hands, you thought about what to do or maybe who to hang out with next before having to unavoidably go shopping for a bathing suit.  
Maybe…one of the girls could go with you?  
It seemed intimidating, going by yourself.  
Yeah. You’d find someone to go with you.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, who should Witch-chan ask to accompany her?  
> Seriously, I can't decide, so help me choose! 
> 
> Thank you again for all of your nice comments! I'm usually really shy about writing stuff with my OCs, wahh ;u;


	4. Chapter Two / Daily Life / Free Time (2)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I realize I haven't updated this in a really long time, so thank you to anyone still reading!  
> Thanks to everyone who gave me their thoughts on who you should go shopping with last chapter!  
> I took all possibilities into consideration, and this is the scenario that played out in my head by itself.
> 
> Special thanks to [ensembleklavier](http://archiveofourown.org/users/ensembleklavier) for being my beta and editing this for me~

How many years had it been since you’d even thought of putting on a swimsuit?

You pondered the question, staring out your window from the tiny desk in the corner of your cabin. There was a light breeze brushing along your cheeks, swaying the palm leaves.

It had been at least...three years. Maybe five. It’d been a long while, and you still weren’t too keen on actually going  _ swimming _ , but you’d provide beachside support for everyone else’s efforts at having fun and keep an eye on things.

Sonia’s thinking wasn’t too far fetched here.

Spending time together, getting to know each other, and collecting these crystals that would appear in your pocket out of nowhere would build up some camaraderie.

Which was what the entire class needed right now.

But events like this were a double edged sword, because if someone had already made the decision to kill...this would provide them with opportunity to scout out the weakest link--which one of them would be the easiest to trick into following the killer into the woods, or lacked the physical defenses to fight for their lives.

Staring up at the sky, head resting in the palm of your hand, you debated who would be the ideal companion to go swimsuit shopping with.

It wasn’t like you’d spent a great amount of time with any of your classmates, or knew them exceptionally well.

But from what you’d observed…

Mioda’s energy would be too much, and she might get a little  _ too  _ enthusiastic about the subject. She was loud, too. Really loud.

Saionji was out of the question, and for that matter, so was Koizumi, who hadn’t made too good of an impression on you with how demanding she’d been that Togami not be the leader (when he was alive).

And plus, Koizumi had a camera! Photographs could be used as weapons in the right hands. Your hands, more specifically. The way that cameras could capture a fragment of a soul...whether or not it was superstition, it made you uncomfortable.

Nanami was someone you hadn’t spoken to one on one since the first day of the trip, and she was...hard to read. But she was observant, no doubt, which she’d proven in the first trial.

And you didn’t want her observing  _ you _ , just in case…

_...just in case, what? _

Pekoyama was too intimidating, and no doubt she could kick your ass if she suddenly decided she wanted off the island. Her and Owari both outmatched you in physical strength.

You weren’t about to go anywhere alone with either of them!

How embarrassing would it be to get beaten to death or gutted wearing nothing but a swimsuit…

Tsumiki wasn’t an objectionable choice, but listening to her constantly apologizing and possibly tripping over her own feet and knocking over an entire row of shelves…

They’d tumble over one another like dominos, thousands of items falling to the floor and responsibility falling to both your shoulders.

No. Not today.

You shook the imagery out of your head.

That left just one option, and you weren’t opposed to it.

There was Sonia, who had invited you out to begin with, so it wouldn’t be too much to ask her to help you out.

_ She’s so pretty, I might get distracted looking at her… _

But compared to the possible hurdles of shopping with anyone else, you could deal with being ensnared by her princessy charms.

_ So it’s decided! _

You moved away from the window and hopped to your feet, fetching your student ID from your pocket to see just how far away Sonia was at this very moment.

It just so happened that she was already at the Rocketpunch Market, probably to buy some supplies for the event tomorrow.

And it would appear that another girl was there, too—Nanami! Maybe they’d already arranged to go together, and wouldn’t mind your joining them?

\- - - - - -

The moment you stepped into the store, the a/c blasting you with mercy, there was a peculiar and suspicious laughing coming from the leftmost corner, echoing throughout the entire building.

It sounded like…the kind of laughing from an overly dramatic villain who had just slain their sworn enemy.

You stopped in your tracks, the automatic doors sliding closed behind you with a loud and noticeable click.

Oh, no.

Oh, no, no, no, no…surely you did  _ not _ just walk in on a murder scene!

Immediately, you could hear your heart thudding against your chest violently, and glancing between the door behind you and the empty aisles, you wondered it maybe it would be best to just…leave.

If you were to stumble upon a murder, either you would be their next victim or you’d be a witness…and Monokuma surely didn’t want witnesses to an actual murder.

They’d make the trial too easy, so he’d probably encourage the killer to take you out!

Or worse—if the killer was someone unexpected, they could try to set you up! Pushing you into a pool full of the victim’s blood, hitting you over the top of the head, and then placing the weapon into your hand before fleeing.

_ Everyone already thinks I’m strange…no way am I staying around here! _

Just as you’d turned to make a run through the door, a familiar voice called out your name and poked their head through the leftmost aisles.

It was Mioda, who was still laughing, and she’d sounded ten times scarier than she looked.

“Hey, there you are!”

You weren’t sure whether to be relieved or irritated. “Here…here I am.”

“You’re just in time!” She chuckled ominously, pointing to the back. “We’re trying on swimsuits in the bathroom! Sonia-chan looks so niiiiiice….you gotta join us!”

“Us?”

“It’s me, her, Chiaki-chan, and Peko-chan!” From the blushing on Mioda’s face, she wasn’t lying.

That was quite the crowd, featuring two of the people you were trying to avoid for a one on one expedition—but with five people, interaction with everyone would be more diluted.

It’d be okay.

“Well, alright,” you decided. “I came here to get a bathing suit, anyway.”

The others were just a few aisles over in the bathrooms, which was close enough to a dressing room.

Nanami was already wearing a simple but cute white bikini that showed off her curves and gave her a generous amount of cleavage. It was hard not to stare the moment you walked in.

Sonia was halfway stepped into a wetsuit, wearing nothing but her undergarments, and it was clear that no matter where you diverted your eyes you'd see someone at least partially naked.

“Oh, you decided to join us!” Sonia said joyfully, oblivious to the pink creeping up on your face.

Pekoyama, who was standing in the corner, still in her usual uniform, and seemingly watching everyone else. She didn't say anything, and you couldn't help but feel like she was sizing you up.

Mioda spoke up before you, patting your back heartily and with a little too much strength. “I was on my way to get us some snacks and she was just walking in the door!”

“Y-yeah, that's what happened.” You weren't sure what else to say to that. “I didn't exactly pack a bathing suit so...”

“There's like a bajillion to choose from!” Mioda was shouting again. “Let me help you pick some out!” She was too enthusiastic about this for your taste, and grabbed your wrist to start to pull you out of the bathroom and to the aisles of swimwear.

Mioda was already sifting through them, picking out a grey and nearly transparent set and handing it to you.

“No.” You handed it back. “Nothing see-through...”

“O-ho-ho...! The bashful type, huh?!”

“I'm not...bashful, I just don't want to wear something see-through...”

Mioda already had another to shove at you, this one a simple, lacey black color that looked reasonable from the back until you turned it around to see a pair of pink hearts aligned where the nipples would fit.

“N-No...” You said again, not necessarily wanting to put forth the effort to find one yourself but having less and less faith in Ibuki's idea of acceptable swimwear.

“But those hearts are so cute!”

“I'm not denying that it's cute it's just not really, uh...my style...”

“OHHhhh...Ibuki understands now!” She crossed her arms and nodded confidently, which did nothing to increase your faith in her.

“Mioda-chan, um, it's alright, really...” You waved a hand at her and moved to the clothing racks yourself. “I'll find one...”

By the time she found something appropriate, it would've been easier to just do it yourself.

Before you could actually look, she'd already grabbed yet another one and presented it to you. “This one, this one!”

She shoved it in your face before you could fully turn around, and to your surprise, this one was actually cute and tolerable. It was a black one piece that didn't have sleeves on it, but the top curved into cat ears and there were white whiskers on the sides.

“Welllll?” Mioda prodded you with her elbow. “You're always carrying around that cute kitty plush so cat stuff is totally your style, right?”

“Bastet-chan is more than just a stuffed toy,” you said very matter-of-factly, but decided that Mioda wasn't capable of understanding synthetic familiars or their importance to someone who used magic, and decided not to pursue the subject. “But this swimsuit is fine, yes…well, thanks for helping me pick one--”

“You can’t just say it’s fine! You gotta try it on!”

“Um…yeah, I guess that’s true.”

When the two of you made it back to the bathroom, Sonia had already changed into uniform and Nanami, still in her bikini, was standing by the sink playing her handheld.

“Oh, you found one!” Sonia sounded much more pleased than you were.

Mioda raised her hand enthusiastically. “Ibuki helped her pick one out!”

Sonia took the hanger holding the swimsuit from your hand to observe it more closely. “I have to say, this’ll contrast with your skin quite well! It’s a cute design!”

“Thanks…”

She handed it back to you. “Well? What are you waiting for, go ahead and try it on!”

Everyone’s eyes were on you, and now there was the dilemma of whether to strip and change in front of them or to go into a bathroom stall.

It seemed more appropriate to change out in a stall, right? But if you were actually in school, everyone would just change out in front of each other under a naive policy.

You looked down at the swimsuit then back at the others. “I’m going to change in the stall, if it’s all the same.”

“Why?” Pekoyama spoke to you for the first time, crossing her arms and staring at you pointedly. “Are you hiding something? It's suspicious, wearing a jacket and cape when the weather is this hot.”

“Pekoyama-san,” Sonia was offended for you. “I doubt that. Why in the world would you doubt her?”

Frustrated and wanting to prove a point, you saw an opportunity to turn this situation around on her, and took it.

“Fine,” you said, sounding hurt, undoing the latch of your caplet and letting it drop to the floor. “I’m…self conscious, but if it’ll help you guys not suspect me…”

Sonia could sense you were still uncomfortable. “You don’t have to!”

She took your wrists when you started unbuttoning your jacket, and spoke sternly. “Our goal isn’t to make you uncomfortable…please don’t let Pekoyama-san intimidate you into thinking that we suspect you of foul play! Let me assure you that I certainly do not. We all agreed, did we not? That we absolutely wouldn’t let another killing happen.”

She looked to everyone else, who had fallen silent when she’d started speaking.

Nanami didn’t look up from her game.

Sonia’s determination was admirable, but it felt awkward to have her sticking up for you.

After all, you didn’t know her that well, and there likely wasn’t enough common ground for friendship.

_ So why…? _

It probably wasn’t sentimentality that had her defending you—it was a part of her effort to unify everyone. She was just doing what came naturally to her as a princess in a time of peril. Just like this entire beach event she'd put together, it was for the sake of trying to prevent another killing.

It would be nice for it to not happen again.

It wasn't realistic, but it would be nice.

Of course, you weren't about to dampen her spirits and make yourself stand out as a pessimist. That would make you look suspicious...

“Yeah...” You finally replied, rubbing your neck awkwardly, still.

With a small sigh, you started to strip down nonetheless, unbuttoning your jacket next. “I, um...thanks, Sonia-chan, but I'd rather clear my name, still. I'm not hiding any weapons or anything.”

Mioda snickered. “Peko-chan, you're mistaken, anyway! Witches use tomes as weapons! And they're huge, she couldn't hide one!”

“Tombs?” Sonia tilted her head. “But of course! The preferred method for some rituals is burying the victim nearly alive, with only their head remaining above the ground!”

What kind of ritual...?

“Indeed.” It'd be easier to just go along with it. “That's how some witches shrink human skulls...there's a special powder you sprinkle over their head, then you let the sun shrink them--”

Mioda bent over laughing, slapping her knee hysterically. “LIKE A PAIR OF OLD PANTIES KEPT IN THE DRYER TOO LONG!!”

“Exactly!” You nodded, not a word of truth in any of this. “But, uh, I've never done that...requires sacrificing a lot of karma points. Magic takes a serious drain on the user.”

“I see...” Sonia was truly fascinated by all of this, and stared at you with wide, determined eyes. “Please, educate me on this subject later! I would love to learn more!”

“Sure...”

Because of an array of sigils and hieroglyphs that had been tattooed onto your back about half a year before entering Hope's Peak, you elected to face them as you removed your clothing to avoid further questions.

\- - - - - - -

After putting on the swimsuit and finding that it fit well enough (and looked cute! You couldn't bring yourself to be unhappy with the image of yourself in the mirror), the five of you decided to pick out some snacks for the beach tomorrow.

You also picked up a huge umbrella to sit underneath.

Having something different to look forward was comforting, strangely enough, even though you didn't plan on actually going into the sun or the water.

\- - - - - - -

By the time everyone was done with preparations for tomorrow, it was already getting dark.

This wasn't a bad way to spend your day, and surprisingly enough time flew by.

But with the day over, it was time to fulfill your promise to Komaeda and play Twilight Syndrome and look into Monokuma's next motive.

  
  



	5. Chapter Two / Daily Life / Free Time (3)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After playing a frustrating round of Twilight Syndrome, you go to visit Komaeda and propose a startling truth to him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is really long, so sorry it took six months to update?  
> I was a little unsure on a few things, so please let me know what you think! I'd very much appreciate the feedback.
> 
> (I made an attempt to proofread myself, but forgive any editing mistakes or typos! This'll be beta'd shortly; I felt bad for delaying it so long I wanted to go ahead and publish this!)

_ GAME OVER _

_ DOWN FIVE _

The screen flickered, with a red and black background a low and dreadful tune playing at your apparent defeat.

_ Well…that didn’t make much sense… _

But parts of it definitely lined up with reality, considering how easy it was to make out the girl characters and who they represented.

If Twilight Syndrome were really based on true events, as it very well could have been considering that it wasn't difficult to discern who most of the girl characters were, then it seemed ineffective to provide a motive that one couldn't remember.

You took a moment to step away from the game and rid yourself of suspicion should anyone else walk by (and spy on them should they decide to play), wandering into the adjacent woods and sitting underneath a tree.

It was tempting to scatter some leaves or twigs around the game, so you'd hear anyone approaching, but that was too much trouble.

The sea salt in the air wasn't suffocating when the sun was down. It was refreshing.

With a sigh, you relaxed against the tree and retrieved Bastet-chan from your belt, holding the plush close to your lap and idly staring at the zipper on its backside.

_ If we're without our memories, then why show us this? If one of us already killed someone, when we were attending Hope's Peak...maybe...the prize Monokuma mentioned is receiving our memories of the incident back—but only this incident. He’s already proven he won’t actually let us have any information about our lives before that could actually be helpful. _

It wouldn't matter if the person who completed the game first was directly involved or not.

They'd become suspicious of everyone else whether or not they knew or could figure out whoever killed Girl D/E and would be more likely to act.

Or maybe they'd tell someone they'd gotten close to.

It would be flat out careless to not play this game and learn what a potential killer could find out to gain an upper hand, and so you could only assume that most everyone else had or was going to.

There were likely a few people who were looking to get the prize for finishing first, so it would've been too risky to come out here first thing, anyway.

_ Maybe if I play it again... _

That ending was too vague. There had to be more context to it, or something you'd missed.

But just as you were about to push yourself up to give it another try, the shrilling, abrupt music of the game rebooting startled you still.

A quick glance over the tree bark and you sighed in relief.

It was just Hinata. Alone. And completely oblivious to your presence.

The game could wait. You were tired and didn't want to hang around until he finished—plus, there was something else you needed to take care of.

Speculating about the completion prize was a somber reminder of something you needed to discuss with Komaeda, anyway.

_ This isn't going to be easy to tell him, but...maybe...after last time, he'll listen to me. _

\- - - - - -

The hum of the vending machine in the middle of the Rocketpunch Market was much more noticeable in the dead of night, the glowing display of bottles behind the glass guiding the way as you entered through the automatic doors.

Careful to look left and right first, you realized upon arriving in front of the machine that you weren't too sure what Komaeda would want.

_ I don't take him for being picky, but he insisted on toast before... _

Digging into your coat pocket, you absently wondered how much trouble it had been to convert a regular soda machine into something that only took “monocoin”.

Someone was highly invested in their murder mascot.

Earning the mastermind's currency was just stupid busywork, anyway, aside from their giving you a pouch of money at the end of the last trial.

It didn't make sense to be rewarded for surviving, anyway.

After staring at the rows of cold drinks for too long, you finally decided water would be fine, pressed the button, and watched the bottle drop.

\- - - -

Much to your relief, you didn't run into Hinata or anyone else on your way back to the lodging area.

It was suspicious to be wandering around at night—but anyone you might see about at this time was equally suspicious, too! So you weren't about to let anyone lecture you should you get caught.

Arriving back at the hotel, however, you realized that someone was standing in front of the extra building.

_ Of course... _

It only made sense that someone guards Komaeda during all hours of the day.

He was a sitting target, and if Monomi truly didn't want any more killings to happen it only made sense she'd continue watching him.

And there she was, in front of the door, standing eerily still.

He'd pissed off everyone, too. The variety of suspect would be high if he turned up dead...the killer would have plenty of camouflage.

_ But no way will Komaeda-kun die... _

His luck was too strong, and anyone who attempted to assassinate him would likely end up getting themselves killed in some convoluted way.

“Hey, Monomi,” You said simply, approaching her with the bottle of water and smiling shyly.

Monomi blinked, coming to life and suddenly gasping. “Y-You should be in bed! It's really late, you know—eight of hours sleep is the required minimum, or you'll be tired tomorrow--”

“It's alright, I'm a witch, the night is my day and all that...anyway, has Komaeda-kun had enough to drink today? If we're talking basic health, two big containers of water should do it. Yupp. If he hasn't had that, let me give him this water.”

Monomi looked solemn, suddenly, ears drooping downwards and rubbing her paws together. “O-Oh, that...well...”

“...Well...?”

“Everyone seems to think that it's dangerous to untie him, even to use the bathroom, so...”

“So you're keeping him dehydrated enough to not go?”

“...I-I would never let a precious student die!”

With an agitated sigh, you crossed your arms and glared down at her.

You were no doubt getting in now.

“Honestly, Monomi! What kind of teacher are you?! Who put you in charge over us? Surely Hope's Peak staff isn't this irresponsible...”

She cowered and sniffled, obviously feeling guilty for such gross negelct, and you almost felt sorry for her. “I think...if Komaeda promises to behave himself, maybe...his timeout could be over soon...”

“Hmph! This is the kind of cruel and unusual punishment I expect from a cult.”

“I'm sorry...”

“Hey.”

Another voice interrupted you; you'd focused so much on Monomi, that you hadn't noticed anyone else approaching.

Nanami stood next to you and frowned, looking at Monomi with pity. “Don't you think you're being a little harsh? I mean, I don't think anyone intended to keep him tied up forever…”

Monomi wiped at her eyes. “Nanami-chan, y-you're too kind! But she's right! Komaeda-kun should be drinking eight glasses of water a day!”

With a small sigh, you looked from Nanami to Monomi and pushed past her, ascending the steps victoriously and placing your hand firmly on the door handle. “Yeah...” You softened your voice. “I was being a little harsh, sorry. It just really sucks being thirsty, you know...? With this heat, I can't imagine...being locked up in a stuffy room...”

Nanami slid her hands up the straps of her bag and tilted her head. “Feeling sorry for someone can lead to being vulnerable, so you should be careful not to listen to him too much...he’s so caught up in his own ideals, I don’t think Komaeda can be swayed right now...”

You ignored her.

Did she think you were stupid? Something about everything she said bothered you, but you decided not to think about it.

You opened the door, leaving them outside, and made your way to the dining room, knocking twice before entering and flipping the light switch.

There he was, in the middle of the floor asleep. He almost looked dead.

Sitting next to him, you put the cold bottle to his forehead.

He half opened his eyes, blinked, squinted at the light and smiled cheerfully nonetheless. “Oh! You're back!”

“I'm back! And I brought you some water.”

“You aren't still on about your joke?”

“Huh?”

“The joke you were playing on me earlier!”

“I...what?”

“That whole, 'I'm in love with you!' spill—someone dared you to do that, right?”

“Uh...”

_ What? _ You weren't sure how to respond.

Komaeda continued, chuckling to himself, and rocking himself back and forth in place. “It was one of those pranks out of the movies, where friends dare each other to let dogs kiss them in the mouth!”

“First of all,” You weren't sure which part to be offended at. “...There's nothing wrong with letting pets lick you in the mouth...no more than there is eating something off the floor if it's been less than five seconds.”

“But germs have no concept of time.” He pulled himself up

“It's...it's mind over matter, I've never gotten sick from it...secondly, I really meant what I said...anyway, here...”

You unscrewed the lid to the water, put the bottle to his lips and tilted it just enough for him to drink all the while observing how long his eyelashes were and how his adam's apple bobbed with each gulp.

He downed half the bottle.

“Ah, thank you!” He sighed, settling uncomfortably against a leg of the table.. “If you meant it, then perhaps my luck really has given me a gift! But, as much as I've always fantasized far beyond my means—someone like me has no right to be the subject of something like a crush, especially from someone talented and attending Hope's Peak...how misguided of you...”

_ He really is this down on himself... _

“Well, I wasn't joking...but hey, listen, I wanted to tell you something about yourself you probably weren't aware of. If you think I'm really talented as SHSL Witch, then you care what I have to say about magical stuff.”

“Eh? Of course. Go right ahead! I'm all ears.” Despite thinking you'd been playing some elaborate joke on him earlier, he wasn't skipping a beat.

Now that he'd hit you with this, it was...discouraging to say the least, and this wouldn't be easy to explain.

Komaeda had very clearly convinced himself of his own lack of worth, which would make laying down such a surprising truth on him like this all the more shocking...

_ But still...I have to try... _

“Komaeda-kun...I-I take it you really aren't comfortable on a first name basis with me, after all...”

“You can call me whatever you like! You don't even have to give me a people name...if I'm comparable to pet--”

“Where do you think my magic comes from?”

“Hmm...why would someone as inconsequential as myself know something like that? If I had to take a guess, I'd say it comes to you because you're talented. Because it's something you were born with.”

“Yes and no...I'm not really magical because I'm talented, but rather, I’m talented because I’m magical. The origin of that is this.”

Unlatching Bastet-chan from your belt, you set it on the floor between the two of you. “Komaeda-kun, you weren’t too far off when you said that Bastet-chan helps with my spells and concentration. I sell myself off as a disciple of hers, but in reality, the god that parts of ancient humanity known as ‘Bastet’ was me in a past life.”

“You’re telling me that you’re a reincarnated god? Is this part of a more elaborate setup? Maybe a game you decided to play with Sonia-san and Tanaka-san?”

“There is no setup or prank, Komaeda-kun…it’s not a game, either!” It was a little hurtful to hear them say that, to assume that you were lying or messing with him. But it was more concerning than anything. You wondered, before being accepted to Hope’s Peak, how was Komaeda treated at his old school? Did he ever have friends?

You took a breath and continued. “Reincarnation is complicated. I’m still me, but a piece of me is Bastet. That’s what gives my link to the supernatural. Of course, I don’t have any way of proving this to you…nor does it make me invincible or anything. I’m still just as likely to be murdered. And I still have to answer to a higher being, even if that higher being is me or just the laws of the universe…sorry, I’ve never really tried to explain this before. It probably doesn’t make a lot of sense.”

“No, I think I understand what you’re saying. But what does that have to do with me?”

You took a breath, straightened yourself up, and placed both hands on his shoulders, looking directly into his eyes in hopes that your sincerity could be telepathically conveyed.

He blinked once.

“Komaeda-kun, I think that you’re something like me.”

He laughed, much to your frustration, and looked away from you.

“I’m serious! It would explain why your luck is so powerful. I wasn’t completely sure of it, but…after seeing how perfectly your luck allowed you to orchestrate things to your will…now I have no doubt.”

He shook his head, still chuckling. “I’m flattered that you’d think so highly of me, but that’s impossible.”

“What?”

“Me being a god of any sort is impossible, because I’m already miles below yourself and the rest of the class…my luck only enables me to be a better stepping stone for all of you.”

You slumped over and sighed, crossing your arms over your knees and looking at the floor.

_ Is there even any convincing him…? _

Komaeda was difficult to read. You couldn’t tell if he didn’t believe you about anything you’d just said, if he didn’t want to accept his true nature, or if he simply wanted to remain nothing more than a “stepping stone”.

What made him think this way?

Why didn’t he want to let you get closer to him?

Another solemn reminder that knew very little about Komaeda, aside from what you’d read of his energy and what he’d said himself.

“Hey, Komaeda-kun, how can I prove it to you?”

He laughed again, although this time it felt almost…forced. There was a certain gleam behind his eyes that, when combined with the chain around his neck, almost gave him the look of a tethered animal about to unleash its fury—or at least, to anyone else it would appear that way to anyone else.

But never to you.

If anything, your determination seemed to be frustrating him.

He’d quietened down and was staring away from you, as if something fascinating had sprouted from the corner of the room.

You waited for his answer.

“…There’s nothing.”

“What?”

“There’s nothing!” His shouting startled you, and it echoed in such an empty room. “That kind of explanation for me…isn’t how it is…my Luck isn’t divine or some leftover benefit from a past life as anything other than human…no, I’m far below even a human… is this delusion why you lack disgust with me--”

“Komaeda-kun, I believe in your worth, and in your destiny as a god.” You interrupted him with a stern voice, overtaken by a sudden sense of stubbornness and an intuitive sense that you  _ needed _ to say this.

Your skin suddenly felt like it could melt—you were much angrier than you’d thought, and some dark paranoia from the back of your mind was seeping to the forefront.

Although unsure where this ominous feeling was coming from, you weren’t one to doubt your sixth sense.

_I_ _can’t doubt it. This is who I am. What I’m good at._

Caught off guard, maybe by how your voice had dropped a few octaves, Komaeda was staring at you with his jaw open.

_ He’s still listening so… _

You crossed your arms and straightened your posture.

“From my studying your luck, as I have since you mentioned it, it’s tied to your will both consciously and subconsciously…you don’t have to verbally wish for what you want to happen, you just expect it to follow your whims. And it does. Yet you call your talent worthless…if my magic worked so simply…we’d have already gotten off this island…what I’m saying is this: your Luck is a testament to your power as a god, or other title you’d prefer. It may be out of your control, but its capabilities remain a reality. At least give me a chance to prove it to you…unless you doubt me and doubt my talent as SHSL Witch? Or do you hate me?”

“…” After a few more tense moments—and a stare down—Komaeda looked away from you and sighed heavily. “Well, I don’t doubt that you are a god, if that’s what you believe. Who am I to question the source of the greatness of any of my classmates? I can’t possibly hate someone like you, especially when you’re so kind as to believe in me…it’s because I don’t hate you that I can’t believe you. No matter how talented you are, you aren’t immune from it…”

“Immune from what?”

“My Luck…”

“But I am. Komaeda-kun, don’t forget that our memories were erased. Your Luck still existed when we knew each other before, and I’m sure that my perception of you was the same. I would’ve come to the same conclusion, witnessing your luck, and I would’ve still…felt the same about you…and I’m still alive, despite that.” You absently wondered how things were between the two of you back then. There wasn’t any doubt that this had to be your second conversation like this.

“Well, how can I argue with you when you’re so full of Hope?” He sighed again, this time sounding more content, and let his head rest against his shoulder limply. “Maybe there’s some truth to your observation. If you pursued my company like this, then…maybe…” His voice trailed off, and he went quiet again.

“I’ve been thinking on our lost memories, is all…”

A weight had been lifted, or at least it’d been detracted a few pounds, because you felt a little easier now that he seemed to accept what you had to say. Kind of, anyway. He was open to it, and some part of you was even more morbidly curious as to the extent of his talent if he were to

It was enough, but you were at a loss for words.

So instead, you sat next to him, shoulder to shoulder, closed your eyes, and relaxed against him.

Komaeda wasn’t opposed and didn’t say anything.

You thought about hugging him really tightly, maybe kissing him again, but imagining doing that didn’t give you the same heart-racing rush as before—the fact that he’d thought all of that was a joke was…disheartening.

Komaeda called your name, tossing you off that train of thought. “If I may be so bold as to ask…I am…thirsty, so…could I have the rest of that?”

“S-Sure…”  _ How rude of me to not even ask him if he wanted anymore! _

You opened the bottle, put it to his lips, and tilted it upwards again—but not too steeply.

Just as he opened his mouth, closing his eyes once again, the door opened and a screaming startled Komaeda into nearly choking on the water.

Monomi was screaming, holding her head, and combined with Komaeda coughing directly into your ear, nothing she said was coherent.

But she’d started untying Komaeda without any prompting, so you didn’t argue, instead opting to rub Komaeda’s back as he continued wheezing.

When he settled down, Monomi was still talking.

Komaeda groaned, moving his arms out of the loose confines and wincing when his bones popped.

Monomi sniffled, wiping at her eyes, and you wondered how something so obviously an animatronics could cry. “I didn’t even think of it until just now!”

“What?” You rubbed at the side of your head, ears ringing.

Monomi pointed to the water bottle still in your hand. “That would’ve been such an easy way to murder Komaeda-kun! I-I’m not accusing you or anything, but with Komaeda laying in here defenseless…if the wrong person caught him like this off guard, drowning him would be easy. They could plug his nose with a clothes pin and force it into his mouth he’d drown!”

“If that’s how I go,” Komaeda said, actually sounding pleased at the imagery. “Then that’s how I go. Monomi-san, there’s no need to worry about me. So, you’re setting me free?”

“On the condition that you behave yourself!”

“Oh, I don’t plan on doing anything…other than playing that game.”

“Komaeda-kun, don’t…! Everyone promised not to…”

“I wonder how many people have kept that promise?”

“…” Monomi rubbed her paws together and looked away, too ashamed of her students’ actions to admit them aloud and give him the validation he wanted.

And with that, you both came to a silent agreement to ignore her.

Komaeda turned to you and smiled pleasantly. “You were supposed to tell me about it, anyway, right?”

“Oh, yeah…” You’d gotten so wrapped up in your own discussion with him that you’d nearly forgotten the original purpose of your visit.

But as you opened your mouth to start to explain, he said, “actually let’s wait and discuss it tomorrow!”

“Huh?”

“It’s late, and now that I can play it myself, it’d be better for me to come to my own conclusions first.”

“Alright. Well, in that case, I’m going to bed...I’m going to the beach with a few of the girls tomorrow, so…” You stood up and offered him your hand, helping him up with all of your weight (you almost lost your footing, but he didn’t seem to notice).

His bones cracked again as he stood up, but he didn’t complain. “Oh? You’ve made friends with them?”

“I got dragged into it and it’ll look suspicious if I don’t show up.”

“Then what time should we meet tomorrow?”

You shrugged.

“Of course, you probably don’t want anyone to see you being associated with me and that’s for the best! So setting a time and meeting place would be preferable to me visiting your cabin or talking out in the open.”

_ Why can’t I visit yours, then? _

“Uhm...alright, how about around one or so? We could meet here since no one wants to step inside of this building, anyway.”

“That’s fine,” Komaeda agreed, completely on board with the idea of returning to the room where not only someone had been murdered, but where he’d been essentially jailed for two days and tossed to the floor like a cheap rug, so you’d been half expecting him to suggest elsewhere.

“But hey,” he said, giving you a reassuring smile. “You should probably go to bed now. It’s already so late! You won’t have any energy tomorrow if you don’t rest.”

“Y-yeah…”

Thinking about the last time you were here, you blushed a little, and thought of giving him a goodnight kiss but Monomi was still standing there, and it somehow felt…inappropriate. Like you really shouldn’t right now.

It was also unsettling how Monomi had become completely inanimate and was staring ahead listlessly.

“K-Komaeda-kun, if it’s okay with you, and if you promise not to take it as a joke…can I hug you goodnight?”

You took a step towards him, staring up at his face, which already was tinted pink.

He stuffed his hands into his pockets and sighed heavily, like you were troubling him. “I have no right to tell someone so talented, someone that’s a god, that they can’t do whatever they want with me—“

Before he could go on a long winded tangent about how gross he had to be right now because he hadn’t gotten to take a bath, you wrapped your arms around his torso and hugged really tight.

You could hear him gasp under his breath and his chest rise with the shock at human contact; you feel his ribcage against your chest, which in return made your heart beat erratically all over again.

Pulling away before you could get too worked up, staring at the floor shyly, you mumbled out, “goodnight”, and hurried back to your cabin to rest up, thankful that Nanami had left her post and no one else was loitering around.

The bed in your cabin wasn’t comfy or cushy enough for your taste, but by some miracle you were able to drift into sleep.

You’d need more strength than anticipated, because the second murder would take place tomorrow.

  
  
  



End file.
